FEBRUARY 11, 2002

Verstappen annoyed by Arrows behavior

JOS VERSTAPPEN has made it very clear that he is less than delighted by the behavior of the Orange Arrows team and is considering legal action against the outfit.

"In June last year they renewed my contract for 2002," Jos said. "With that announcement I was off the market for any other teams so they don't come with any offers. That didn't bother us because we were very pleased the Arrows technical and financial package. We thought it was fine. When you get tossed out only weeks before the season starts you can't negotiate anymore."

Verstappen confirmed on his website that he heard the news not from Tom Walkinshaw but from his manager Huub Rothengatter who read about it on the Arrows team website. Walkinshaw did call Verstappen two hours later but he did not explain how the team intended to settle the existing contract. Verstappen's lawyers later received a fax from Arrows which said that the contract was terminated.

Verstappen says that he has some opportunities in F1 but he must now choose between taking legal action against the team to get what is owed to him by the team or he can find another job. If he does both Arrows will be able to claim that they do not need to pay him.